Diocesan Museum (Naples)
The Diocesan Museum is the museum of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Naples, displaying paintings, reliquaries and bronzes previously housed in the Archepiscopal Palace, closed and suppressed churches in the Diocese (such as the churches of Santa Donna Regina Nuova and the neighbouring Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia) or churches where it is too risky to display artworks.[1][2] The paintings are mainly from the Neapolitan School, including works by Luca Giordano, Francesco Solimena, Massimo Stanzione, Aniello Falcone and Andrea Vaccaro.
![](../I/Museo_diocesano_di_Napoli_(30213897853).jpg.webp)
It was originally housed in the Archepiscopal Palace but due to an iniative by cardinal-archbishop Crescenzio Sepe it re-opened in the rooms behind the chancel of Santa Donna Regina Nuova and on a new mezzanine floor above the side chapels of its nave on 23 October 2007.[3] The rooms above the side chapels are organised thematically, with a room each for the Passion of Christ, the Seven Sacraments, Martyrdom, the Life of Priests, Monks and Mendicants and the Seven Works of Pity. Other rooms house objets-d'art, such as two bronzes of St Candida of Naples and St Maximus by Giovan Domenico Vinaccia from Naples Cathedral, reliquaries, vestments and sculptures in wood and stone.
Visitors can also see the neighbouring Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia, although this does not display any artworks from the collection. Santa Donna Regina Nuova belongs to the Ministry of the Interior's "Collection of religious buildings", whilst the City of Naples owns Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia. The museum is managed by the Archdiocese and supervised by the Soprintendenza al polo museale di Napoli.
Floor plan
|
Collections
Paintings
Image | Title | Artist | Room | Originally from |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Resurrection and Crucifixion | Giovanni Bernardo Lama | Passage to the warming room | Santa Maria delle Grazie a Caponapoli |
![]() | Our Lady of Graces with Saints Sophia, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Paola and Januarius | Fabrizio Santafede | Warming Room | Santa Sofia |
![]() | Our Lady of Graces with Patron Saints of Naples | Pietro Torres | Warming Room | Gesù e Maria |
![]() | Beheading of St Januarius | Mattia Preti (copy after) | Warming Room | Santa Maria dei Lanzati |
![]() | St Januarius with cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo | Giovanni Balducci | Warming Room | Naples Cathedral |
- | Adoration of the Shepherds | Giuseppe Simonelli | Retro-altar | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
- | Angel | Unknown, Southern Italy, late 15th or early 16th century | Retro-altar | Naples Cathedral |
- | Annunciation | Dirk Hendricksz | Retro-altar | Santa Maria della Sapienza, Naples |
- | Education of the Virgin | Unknown, Naples, late 18th century | Retro-altar | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
- | Jesus in St Joseph's Workshop | Diana De Rosa (attr.) | Retro-altar | San Giovanni Maggiore |
![]() | Madonna | Unknown, Southern Italy, late 15th or early 16th century | Retro-altar | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Rest on the Flight into Egypt | Aniello Falcone | Retro-altar | Naples Cathedral |
- | Holy Family with a Goldfinch | Fontanarosa Master (attr.) | Retro-altar | Sant'Agnello Maggiore |
- | Holy Family with the Infant St John the Baptist and St Anne | Santillo Sannini (attr.) | Retro-altar | San Giovanni Battista delle Monache |
- | Holy Family with the Infant St John the Baptist and St Elizabeth | Unknown, Emilia, 1550-1599 | Retro-altar | San Gennaro |
- | Betrothal of the Virgin | Diana De Rosa (attr.) | Retro-altar | San Giovanni Maggiore |
- | Betrothal of the Virgin | Lorenzo de Caro | Retro-altar | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception with Saints Francis of Assisi, Clare, Rose of Viterbo, Anthony of Padua, Bonaventure and Louis of Toulouse | Francesco Solimena and Nicola Maria Rossi | Sacristy | San Francesco alle Cappuccinelle |
- | Enthroned Madonna and Child with an Angel | Pietro di Domenico da Montepulciano (attr.) | Sacristy | Duomo |
![]() | Madonna and Child | Pietro Negroni (attr.) | Sacristy | Archepiscopal Palace |
. | Madonna and Child | Massimo Stanzione | Sacristy | Donnaregina Nuova (now in a private collection) |
![]() | Madonna and Child with Saints James and Christopher | Decio Tramontano and unknown assistant | Sacristy | Santa Maria Ancillarum |
- | Madonna of the Rosary with Souls in Purgatory | Antonio De Bellis | Sacristy | Santa Maria di Portosalvo |
![]() | Madonna of Succour with Saints Patricia and Catherine of Alexandria; with predella showing: Nativity, Ascension of Christ, Pentecost and Death of the Virgin | Unknown, Naples, early 16th century | Sacristy | San Gennaro al Vomero |
- | Madonna with Saints John the Evangelist and Paul | Micco Spadaro | Sacristy | Santa Maria Donnaromita |
- | Madonna in Glory with Saints John the Baptist and Francis of Assisi | Teodoro d'Errico | Sacristy | Santa Maria della Vita |
- | Virgin Mary Interceding for Souls in Purgatory | Andrea Vaccaro | Sacristy | Santa Maria del Pianto |
- | Adoration of the Magi | Marco Pino | Ante-Sacristy | Sant'Antoniello |
- | Assumption of the Virgin | Silvestro Buono | Ante-Sacristy | San Pietro in Vincoli |
- | Presentation in the Temple with Saints Cosmas and Damian | Antonio Rimpatta da Bologna (attr.) | Ante-Sacristy | Santi Cosma e Damiano ai Banchi Nuovi |
![]() | Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary, St John the Evangelist, St Peter, St Sophia and Capuchin monks | Marco Pino | Passage to the ante-sacresty | Santa Sofia |
- | Saint John the Evangelist and cardinal Innico Caracciolo | Francesco Solimena | Hallway | Gesù delle Monache |
- | Saint Agnello | Giovanni Balducci | Temporary Exhibitions Space | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Saint Pasquale Baylon's Vision of the Monstrance | Unknown, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet | Unknown, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | Baptism of Christ | Giovanni Bernardo Lama | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Santa Restituta |
![]() | Lament over the Dead Christ | Andrea Vaccaro | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Crucifixion with Mary Magdalene | Unknown, Naples, 17th century | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | The Risen Christ Appearing to the Apostles | Unknown follower of Mattia Preti (17th and 18th centuries) | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Crucifixion | Unknown, Southern Italy, late 15th or early 16th century | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Glory of the Most High | Lorenzo de Caro (attr.) | Permanent Displays - Passion and Sacraments | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | Saint Peter Meeting Saint Paul in Rome Before Their Martyrdom | Unknown, Naples, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Chiesa di Gesù e Maria |
![]() | Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew | Andrea Vaccaro | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Monastero di Sant'Eframo Nuovo |
![]() | Martyrdom of St Stephen | Master of the Martyrdoms, 1600-1650 | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
- | St Januarius | Francesco Solimena (attr.) | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | St Paul | Unknown, Caravaggisti school, 1600-1625 | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Santa Maria Donnaromita |
![]() | St Peter | Unknown, Caravaggisti school, 1600-1625 | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Santa Maria Donnaromita |
![]() | Saint Irene Caring For Saint Sebastian | Paolo De Matteis | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Santa Maria della Vita |
- | Female saint praying | Unknown, Naples, 1625-1650 | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Santa Maria dell'Aiuto |
![]() | Saint Agnese | Giacomo del Po | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | Massacre of the Innocents | Pacecco De Rosa (attr) | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | Head of Saint Anastasius | "Tr" monogramatist, mid 17th century | Permanent Displays - Martyrdom | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Saint Benedict and His Life | Unknown, Naples, 1425-1475 | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | San Gennaro al Vomero |
![]() | St Jerome | Unknown, Southern Italy, late 15th or early 16th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | San Gennaro al Vomero |
![]() | Saint Anthony the Great | Unknown, Southern Italy, late 15th or early 16th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Saint Jerome with the Angel | Agostino Beltrano | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Santa Maria della Verità |
![]() | Baptism of St Augustine | Luca Giordano | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Sant'Anna al Trivio |
![]() | St Augustine’s Vision | Luca Giordano | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Sant'Anna al Trivio |
![]() | Madonna del Carmine | Unknown, Naples, late 16th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | Madonna of the Rosary with Saints Dominic and Catherine | Andrea Vaccaro | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | Madonna of the Rosary with Saints Dominic and Catherine | Sebastiano Conca | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Madonna of the Rosary with Saints Dominic and Rosa | Evangelista Schiano | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Santa Maria delle Grazie a Caponapoli |
![]() | Madonna of the Rosary with Saints Vincenzo Ferreri and Rose of Lima | Unknown, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
- | The Virgin Mary Giving the Habit to the Founder Saints of the Order of the Servants of Mary | Nicola Maria Rossi (copy after) | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
- | The Death of St Dominic | Unknown, Naples, 19th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Saint Francis of Paola | Unknown, Naples, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | Saint Francis of Paola | Unknown, Naples, 1600-1650 | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Santa Restituta |
![]() | Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata | Lorenzo de Caro | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | St Teresa of Avila’s Vision of St Peter of Alcàntara | Unknown, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Saint Anthony of Padua with the Christ Child | Unknown, Naples, 17th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Saint Anthony of Padua At Prayer | Andrea Vaccaro | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Saint Anthony of Padua At Prayer | Ignoto pittore napoletano (secolo XVIII) | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | St William of Aquitaine’s Vision | Domenico Antonio Vaccaro | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Santa Maria della Verità |
- | Angels Holding a Mitre | Luca Giordano | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Girolamini |
- | Madonna and Child with Saints Anthony the Great and Filippo Neri | Paolo De Matteis | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | St Filippo Neri’s Vision of the Virgin Mary | Pietro Grasso, 1750-1799 | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
- | The Virgin Mary Presenting the Christ Child to St Ignatius of Loyola | Giacomo del Po | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Saint Cajetan Presenting the Rule of the Order | Tommaso de Vivo | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Saint Cajetan and the Holy Family | Unknown, Naples, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
![]() | St Camillus de Lellis | Unknown, Naples, 18th century | Permanent Displays - Religious Life | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Works of Charity – Burying the Dead | Unknown, Southern Italy, 20th century | Permanent Displays - Works of Charity | Basilica di Santa Maria a Pugliano |
- | Works of Corporeal Charity | Aniello Laudisello | Permanent Displays - Works of Charity | Basilica di Santa Maria a Pugliano |
![]() | Posthumous Portrait of Umberto d'Ormont, Archbishop of Naples | Lello da Orvieto[2] (attr.) | Permanent Displays – Precious Objects and Reliquaries | Archepiscopal Palace |
Sculptures
Image | Title | Artist | Room | Originally from |
---|---|---|---|---|
- | Crucifixion | Unknown, 14th century | Passage to the warming room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Guardian Angel | Nicola Fumo | Warming Room | San Giovanni Battista delle Monache |
- | St Joseph and the Christ Child | Nicola Fumo | Warming Room | San Giovanni Battista delle Monache |
- | St Michael the Archangel | Nicola Fumo | Warming Room | San Giovanni Battista delle Monache |
![]() | St Nicolas of Bari | Nicola Fumo | Warming Room | San Giovanni Battista delle Monache |
![]() | Giovan Battista Loffredo | Girolamo D'Auria | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Effigies | School of Girolamo D'Auria | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Tondo of the Madonna and Child | Tommaso Malvito and workshop | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Tondo of the Madonna and Child | Girolamo D'Auria and workshop | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
- | Tondo of St Anne and the Virgin Mary as a Child | Unknown, Naples, 18th century | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Funerary Monument of Carlo Loffredo | Girolamo D'Auria and workshop | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Funerary Monument of Cesare Loffredo | Girolamo D'Auria and workshop | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Ippolita Brancaccio | Girolamo D'Auria and workshop | Warming Room | Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia |
![]() | Immaculate Conception | Nicola Ingaldo (attr.) | Retro-altar | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Saint Paul | Giovan Domenico Vinaccia | Passage to the ante-sacristy | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Carved wooden reliefs of St Augustine and St Thomas of Villanova | Giuseppe Picano | Religious Life Room | Sant'Agostino alla Zecca |
- | Fragment of a pluteus with griffins in marble | Unknown, Campania, early 11th century | Lapidarium | Naples Cathedral |
- | Fragment of a marble sarcophagus | Unknown, 200-400 | Lapidarium | Naples Cathedral |
- | Front of a marble sarcophagus | Unknown, Naples, mid 14th century | Lapidarium | Naples Cathedral |
- | Altar front or pluteus in marble | Unknown, Campania, late 9th or early 10th century | Lapidarium | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Coat of arms of Forcella in marble; | Unknown, Naples, 16th century | Lapidarium | Naples Cathedral |
- | Head of the Christ Child on a fragment of a marble and stone bust | Unknown, Campania, 15th century | Lapidarium | Santissima Annunziata Maggiore |
- | Head of the Virgin Mary in stone | Unknown, Campania, 15th century | Lapidarium | Santissima Annunziata Maggiore |
- | Cinerary urn in marble | Unknown, 1st century | Lapidarium | Naples Cathedral |
- | Reliquary vase in marble | Unknown | Lapidarium | Naples Cathedral |
- | St Francis Xavier Converting the Native Americans, in carved and painted wood | Unknown, Naples, c.1820 | Wooden Sculptures Room | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | St Joseph with the Christ Child in carved and painted wood | Collaborator of Giacomo Colombo, c.1730 | Wooden Sculptures Room | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Head from a Crucifix in carved and painted wood | Unknown, late 15th century | Wooden Sculptures Room | Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio |
Metalwork and reliquaries
Image | Title | Artist | Room | Originally from |
---|---|---|---|---|
- | Altar cross in silver | Unknown, mid 18th century | Hallway | Naples Cathedral |
- | Pitcher and basin in silver | Luigi De Michelis | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Pitcher and basin in gilded silver | Various, 18th century | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
- | Chalice in silver and sapphires | Unknown, Naples, 1750-1775 | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Copy of a reliquary in silver and wood | Unknown, mid 18th century | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Archepiscopal Palace |
![]() | Monstrance in silver | Unknown, Naples, pre- 1754 | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
- | Cooking service in gilded silver | Giacinto Buonacquisto (late 18th century) | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
- | Pyx in silver, gold and sapphires | Unknown, late 18th century | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Bust of St Maximus in silver | Giovan Domenico Vinaccia | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Bust of St Candida of Naples in silver | Giovan Domenico Vinaccia | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Cross-shaped reliquary of St Leonzius | Unknown, Palermo, Naples or southern Italy, 1150-1200, 1200-1299 and 1450-1499 | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
![]() | Reliquary bust of St Restituta in wood, gold and paint | Unknown, Naples, 1600-1650 | Wooden Sculptures Room | Santa Restituta |
![]() | St Lucy | Unknown, Naples, 1600-1650 | Wooden Sculptures Room | Sant'Agostino alla Zecca |
![]() | St Apollonia in wood | Unknown, Naples, early 17th century | Wooden Sculptures Room | Sant'Agostino alla Zecca |
Other
Image | Title | Artist | Room | Originally from |
---|---|---|---|---|
- | Collar of St Vincenzo Ferreri | Various, 19th and 20th centuries | Retro-altar | Santa Maria della Sanità |
- | Mitre in white silk | Unknown, Naples, 1925-1950 | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Naples Cathedral |
- | Globe | Unknown, Naples, early 18th century | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Archepiscopal Palace |
- | Stole | Unknown, Italian, 1550-1599 | Precious Objects and Reliquaries Room | Archepiscopal Palace |
References
- (in Italian) AA.VV., Napoli e dintorni, Touring Club Italiano, p. 232, Milano, 2007, ISBN 978-88-365-3893-5
- (in Italian) AA.VV., Napoli e dintorni, Touring Club Italiano, p. 237, Milano, 2007, ISBN 978-88-365-3893-5
- Museo Diocesano di Napoli Archived 2009-06-19 at the Wayback Machine, Museum of architecture.